Team-based fitness challenge system and method

ABSTRACT

A fitness challenge program designed to encourage physical activity as well as to entertain and engage participants. Individuals are organized into teams and compete individually as well as against other teams. The program incorporates the use of computer technology to record physical activity and track progress for individuals as well as their teams. The individual and team activity information is posted to a web site accessible to the participants. Each participant has an account and can access his or her activity data through the web site. Team progress can also be viewed in the form of activity level data as well as movement to various locations associated with activity levels. The program incorporates educational content that is tied to team progress in the challenge. The program may be organized and administered through the middle schools that student participants attend.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No.12/192,447, title TEAM-BASED FITNESS CHALLENGE SYSTEM AND METHOD, filedAug. 15, 2008, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,152,531, issued Apr. 10, 2012.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to fitness programs. Inparticular, the present invention relates to a team-based fitnesschallenge system and method in which data for a fitness activityperformed by individuals on different teams is collected by anelectronic device and uploaded to a database where it is compiled andanalyzed. A winner of the fitness challenge may be determined bycombining activity levels for participants on each team.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In many countries, playing of computer and video games and othersedentary activities such as watching movies and television have becomethe preferred pastimes of school-aged children. The problem isespecially prevalent in middle school-aged children who are enteringtheir teen years or are in their early teen years. Playgrounds and playequipment designed for younger children that provide entertainment aswell as an opportunity for physical activity are no longer of interestto middle school-aged children. There are few equivalents or substitutesfor older children that allow for a similar level of physical activitywhile also providing some entertainment. As a result, the childrenincreasingly engage in other less physically demanding or even passiveactivities during their free time.

Another reason that middle school-aged children may be less active thanthey were during their elementary school years is that they have lessfree time. Homework and extra-curricular demands in school increase witheach grade so that the children typically devote more time to studyingand other school activities and less time to playing or other physicalactivities. Competing demands for a student's time can make it difficultfor the student to find time to exercise or engage in a physicallydemanding activity. Furthermore, it is unlikely that they will try tofind or make time to exercise. Even if they understand that exercise isimportant, they are unlikely to perform physical activities for the solepurpose of maintaining or improving their health. They still have a needto be entertained or engaged when performing any activity, whetherphysical or mental. Therefore, there is a need for a physical activityprogram for middle school-aged children that encourages exercise andprovides entertainment.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is a fitness challenge program for middle schoolstudents that is designed to encourage physical activity as well as toentertain and engage participants. Students are organized into teams andcompete individually as well as against other teams toward a goal. Theprogram incorporates the use of computer technology to record activityand track progress for individuals as well as their teams. Theindividual and team activity information is posted to a web siteaccessible to the students. The program also incorporates educationalcontent that is tied to team progress in the challenge. The program maybe organized and administered through the middle schools that thechildren attend.

In an example embodiment, the fitness activity that students perform iswalking so that virtually all students in the school can participate.Students from a particular middle school are on the same team and theycomplete against student teams from other middle schools in the area.Each participating student is provided with a pedometer that records thenumber of steps he or she takes every day and that communicates the stepdata wirelessly to a remote access point located at the student'sschool. The step data for each student is uploaded to a server at theschool and then to another server and website where it is stored in adatabase that records step data for all participating schools. Eachstudent has an account and can access his or her step data through theweb site.

In the example embodiment, each student has a screen characterrepresentation that is a horse. Students have the ability to customizetheir horses based on activity accomplishments. Each school or team isrepresented by a bus that passes checkpoints in relation to the school'sstudent step activity. The combined activity level of the team'sstudents determines movement of the bus around the world. Students canview information about world checkpoints that the buses pass as theirmovement around the world is tracked. The winner of the challenge is theschool with the highest level of activity and therefore, the bus thattravels the farthest.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a diagram of the primary hardware components for a fitnesschallenge program;

FIG. 2 is a sample student user screen for an example embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a sample character upgrade screen for an example embodiment;

FIG. 4 is a sample bus screen for an example embodiment;

FIG. 5 is a sample checkpoint screen for an example embodiment;

FIG. 6 is a sample upgrade bus screen for an example embodiment; and

FIG. 7 is a sample results screen for an example embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to FIG. 1, a diagram of the primary hardware components for afitness challenge program according to an example embodiment is shown. Apedometer 100 captures step activity for a period of time. In an exampleembodiment, an Actiped™ fitness monitor from Fitlinxx® is used tocapture step data for up to two weeks. The monitor connects wirelesslyto a remote access point 102 when in range. A remote access point 102 isinstalled in each participating school. The remote access point 102 isconnected to a server 104 via a USB port. When a pedometer 100 is inrange, the remote access point 102 captures the pedometer identifier andstep data and transfers it to a database at the server 104. Step datafor each student collected at the server 104 is transported across asecure wireless network using a web services application to a custom webapplication on another server 106 that records and tracks the data foreach school, updates the challenge status, and that supports student andteam access to the data.

Referring to FIG. 2, a sample student user screen for an exampleembodiment is shown. The screen 200 displays the student's user name202, customized challenge screen character or representative 204, steptotal 206 as recorded by the pedometer, number of miles as determined bythe number of steps 208, daily step totals for a period of time 210, andtotal steps for the day 212. The student user can select left and rightscroll buttons 214 to view earlier and later daily step totals. Finally,the screen displays the amount available to the student to upgrade thescreen character 216. The student may earn points based on the recordednumber of steps to purchase optional items for customizing his or herscreen character. For example, the student may purchase accessories forthe character, change colors, and change features. Each item may have anassociated point cost that is deducted from the student's point totalwhen a purchase is made.

Referring to FIG. 3, a sample character upgrade screen for an exampleembodiment is shown. The screen displays the student user's screencharacter 204 with its current upgrades and provides a scrolling list ofthe upgrades that the student has already purchased 300. The screen alsoindicates the amount available to the student for upgrades 216. Finally,the screen displays a scrolling list of upgrade options organized ingroups or categories 302 as well as a detailed listing of upgradeoptions within a particular group or category 304. Upgrade options thatthe student selects are then applied to subsequent displays of thescreen character.

Referring to FIG. 4, a sample bus screen for an example embodiment isshown. All of the screen characters for the students that belong to theschool's team appear in the school bus. The bus moves past checkpointsin relation to the school's step activity. The individual step data forthe students is combined to determine a total activity level (i.e., thenumber of miles that the students have collectively walked). The busthen moves to a new location in the world based on the applicable numberof miles. The winner of the challenge is the team with the highestactivity level based on the activity level of each individual teammember. The winner also has the bus that travels the farthest during thechallenge period. As each team's bus moves to a new location in theworld, it passes one or more checkpoints. Students can view informationabout the checkpoints that their bus passes as shown in FIG. 5. Dataabout checkpoints is stored in the database and is associated with aparticular step value or activity level. The school's step total iscompared to the checkpoint step value to determine whether it has“passed” a particular checkpoint. Details about a particular checkpointare shown in a popup window 500. In addition, a progress bar at thebottom of the screen shows the number of steps that the students havecollectively walked and the applicable number of miles 502. Also shownis information for additional checkpoints as well as an estimate of thenumber of days until the bus will pass the landmark at the students'current step rate 504.

Other graphical objects or items such as cars, airplanes, or boats orany type of symbol or graphic may be used to represent each team. Inaddition, the object's movement from one location or setting to anothermay be tracked in many different ways including in relation to worldlandmarks, points in space, geographic locations, etc. Each time a userreviews team progress, the team's progress may be shown by displayingthe team object in a representative location or setting where thelocation is determined according to the team's total activity level.Different locations or settings may be associated with a particularactivity level, milestone, or checkpoint. The total activity level maythen be used to determine the location or setting in which the team'sgraphical object should be displayed.

Referring to FIG. 6, a sample upgrade bus screen for an exampleembodiment is shown. The screen displays the current standings by team600. The screen also indicates the amount available to the school forbus upgrades 602. The screen displays the school's bus 604 with itscurrent upgrades and provides a scrolling list of the upgrades that theschool has already purchased 606. Finally, the screen displays ascrolling list of upgrade options organized in groups or categories 608as well as a detailed listing of upgrade options within a particulargroup or category 610. Upgrade options that the school selects are thenapplied to subsequent displays of the bus. The ability to upgrade thebus may be limited to a teacher or other school administrator throughuser permission features.

Referring to FIG. 7, a challenge results screen for an exampleembodiment is shown. The results screen shows each team's bus and steptotal.

An administration component allows for the web-based applicationadministration of team data, user data, screen character data, bus data,and checkpoints. Referring to Tables 1-8, details for variousadministration screens of the administration component are shown.

Data for each team is entered and tracked. Team data includes a teamidentifier, team name, step total, timestamp for updates from the schoolremote access points where step activity for each student is collected,credits and debits for bus upgrades, and last payday. Edit and viewoptions for each row of the screen allow an administrator to update dataassociated with a team.

TABLE 1 Teams Screen Steps Access Point Last Id Name Total UpdateCredits Debits Payday edit view 2 TEAM ABC 4,028,190 2008-07-17 968130,600 2008-06-09 15:01:01 00:01:02 edit view 3 TEAM DEF 4,450,1302008-07-17 25,201 19,300 2008-05-29 15:01:04 14:01:22 edit view 4 TEAMGHI 5,082,480 2008-07-17 11,824 39,000 2008-07-17 15:01:07 15:01:07 editview 5 TEAM JKL 3,313,080 2008-07-17 8,330 24,800 2008-05-23 15:01:0907:01:19 edit view 6 TEAM MNO 3,199,770 2008-07-17 7,397 24,6002008-05-24 15:01:12 11:01:25

Details for a selected team are shown in the following table. Detailsinclude the team identifier, an organization number, access point serialnumber, access point update timestamp, credits and debits for upgrades,step totals and step data by date, options data, and checkpoint crossingdates that indicate when the team crossed a particular checkpoint orlandmark.

TABLE 2 Team Details Screen Id: 2 Organization: 1 Default Access PointUploader Serial No.: Name: TEAM ABC Description: Last Access pointUpdate: 2008-07-17 15:01:01 Next Access point Update start: Last CreditsUpdate: Last Payday: 2008-06-09 00:01:02 Credits: 9,681 Debits: 30,600Steps total: 4,028,190 Steps by date: 2008-04-01: 181,372 2008-04-02:185,004 2008-04-03: 163,056 2008-04-04: 162,516 2008-04-05: 114,6602008-04-06: 135,862 2008-04-07: 104,488 2008-04-08: 124,690 2008-04-09:76,096 2008-04-10: 66,598 2008-04-11: 54,494 2008-04-12: 90,6962008-04-14: 109,576 2008-04-15: 143,214 2008-04-16: 138,324 2008-04-17:116,800 2008-04-18: 200,860 2008-04-19: 65,398 2008-04-20: 76,0682008-04-21: 154,972 2008-04-22: 161,584 2008-04-23: 142,068 2008-04-24:125,342 2008-04-25: 121,186 2008-04-26: 69,396 2008-04-27: 57,3242008-04-28: 95,660 2008-04-29: 124,162 2008-04-30: 118,404 . . .2008-06-09: 514 Options: a:21:{i:46; b:1; i:74; b:1; i:83; b:1; i:77;b:1; i:73; b:1; i:56; b:0; i:102; b:1; i:81; b:1; i:106; b:1; i:113;b:1; i:116; b:1; i:61; b:1; i:103; b:1; i:70; b:1; i:47; b:0; i:48; b:0;i:49; b:0; i:45; b:0; i:44; b:0; i:43; b:0; i:50; b:0;} Checkpointcrossing dates:

An administrator can also access a user screen to view data forindividual users. Each user is associated with a team and has a useridentifier as well as screen name. User data also includes a timestampfor the user's most recent sign-in and previous sign-in, a step total,and the serial number of the access point that receives the user's stepdata.

TABLE 3 User Screen: Part 1 Most Previous Access point User ScreenRecent Sign Steps Uploader Serial Team ID Name Sign in In Total Numberedit view 2 24 USER1 2008-05-03 2008-05-01 229,334 HHTK-00256-1142516:43:11 14:07:36 edit view 2 25 USER2 2008-05-05 2008-04-28 153,180HHRG-00256-12177 11:21:33 12:37:04 edit view 2 26 USER3 2008-05-012008-04-28 277,610 HHCW-00256-11512 14:33:00 12:24:38 edit view 2 27USER4 2008-05-05 2008-04-29 212,702 HHXH-00256-11471 20:47:46 20:12:35edit view 3 128 USER5 2008-05-01 2008-05-01 243,029 HHPQ-00256-1161210:49:57 09:12:44

User data further includes a serial number for the user's pedometer,last access point update, next access point update, credit and debitsfor upgrades to his or her screen character, last credits update, lastpayday, and role. Edit and view options for each user entry allow anadministrator to edit or view data for an individual user.

TABLE 4 User Screen: Part 2 Access point Last Actiped Access Next AccessLast User Serial point point Update credits Last Team ID Number UpdateStart Credits Debits update Payday Role edit view 2 24 FECJ- 2008-07-172008-05- 593 1,700 2008-05-01 User 00256- 15:01:01 01T00:00:00 12:01:0129530 edit view 2 25 FEWY- 2008-07-17 2008-04- 31 1,500 2008-04-24 User00256- 15:01:01 24T00:00:00 11:01:01 29235 edit view 2 26 FENM-2008-07-17 2008-05- 626 2,150 2008-05-01 User 00256- 15:01:0101T00:00:00 11:01:01 29146 edit view 2 27 FEFW- 2008-07-17 2008-05- 1272,000 2008-05-01 User 00256- 15:01:01 01T00:00:00 11:01:01 29056 editview 3 128 0 0 Team Admin

User details include a user identifier, team identifier, sign-in data,access point user guide identifier, remote access point serial number,pedometer serial number, screen name, password, access point updatetimestamps, step data by date, credits update date, last payday, creditsand debits, and options.

TABLE 5 User Details Screen Id: 24 Team: 2 Previous Sign In: 2008-05-0114:07:36 This Sign In: 2008-05-03 16:43:11 Access Point User guide:f24f1b10-9496-4410-a6fa-aee100fb821c Access Point UploaderHHTK-00256-11425 Serial No.: Access point Actiped SerialFECJ-00256-29530 No.: Screen Name: USER1 Password: ********* Last Accesspoint Update: 2008-07-17 15:01:01 Next Access point Update2008-05-01T00:00:00 Start: Steps Total: 229334 Steps by Date:2008-04-01: 8,566 2008-04-02: 12,136 2008-04-03: 22,546 2008-04-04:16,230 . . . 2008-05-01: 10,018 Last credits update: Last payday:2008-05-01 12:01:01 Credits: 593 Debits: 1700 Options: a:28:{i:20; b:0;i:21; b:0; i:22; b:0; i:31; b:0; i:33; b:0; i:15; b:0; i:16; b:0; i:19;b:0; i:24; b:0; i:34; b:1; i:35; b:0; i:37; b:0; i:36; b:0; i:32; b:0;i:30; b:0; i:14; b:0; i:18; b:0; i:23; b:0; i:29; b:0; i:17; b:0; i:28;b:0; i:26; b:0; i:27; b:0; i:25; b:1; i:192

An administrator may also view comments as shown in the following table.

TABLE 6 User Comments Screen Id: 15 User: 68 Team Name: TEAM ABC ScreenName: USER4 Timestamp: 2008-03-31 15:04:44 Comment: put more horsecolors Id: 16 User: 40 Team Name: TEAM XYZ Screen Name: USER8 Timestamp:2008-03-31 16:57:43 Comment: I can't seem to upload my steps with myActiLink flashdrive at my house. What is the problem? - USER8

An administrator may also enter and view data for checkpoints related tolandmarks throughout the world. Each checkpoint may have an associatedstep value for use in determining when a bus has passed a particularcheckpoint.

TABLE 7 Checkpoint Screen Id Asset Name Required Steps Required Date  1 1 The White House 100,000 2008-04-02 00:00:00  2  2 Machu Picchu200,000 2008-04-04 00:00:00  3  3 Serengeti Park 300,000 2008-04-0700:00:00  4  4 Eiffel Tower 500,000 2008-04-09 00:00:00  5  5 The GreatSphinx 1,400,000 2008-04-11 00:00:00  6  6 Taj Mahal 1,000,0002008-04-15 00:00:00  7  7 Great Wall of China 1,200,000 2008-04-1700:00:00  8  8 Sydney Opera House 0 2008-04-21 00:00:00  9  9 Mauna Kea0 2008-04-23 00:00:00 10 10 Easter Island 0 2008-04-25 00:00:00 11 11Golden Gate Bridge 250,000 2008-04-28 00:00:00

An administrator may edit and view data related to screen character orbus upgrades. Upgrades or assets are assigned a number, description,price, release date, and required number of steps. They are assigned tocategories so they may be displayed according to category. “Can Buy”fields are used to indicate whether a team and/or user is permitted topurchase a particular asset. Edit and view options associated withassets allow an administrator to change or view details related to eachasset.

TABLE 8 Upgrades Screen Teams Users Asset Release Release Id Can Buy CanBuy Category Asset Name Price date Steps edit view 1 1 hat 1 10 GallonHat 250 2008-03-28 0 00:00:00 edit view 2 1 hat 2 T Cap 100 2008-04-03 000:00:00 edit view 3 1 hat 3 Kentucky Hat 150 2008-04-03 0 00:00:00 editview 5 1 mask 1 Sunglasses 150 2008-04-01 0 00:00:00 edit view 6 1 mask2 Sunglasses 150 2008-04-01 0 00:00:00 edit view 7 1 mask 3 Sunglasses150 2008-04-01 0 00:00:00 edit view 14 1 color 1 Color 0 2008-03-1322:14:02 edit view 15 1 color 2 Color 0 2008-03-13 22:14:02 edit view 161 color 3 Color 0 2008-03-13 22:14:02 edit view 30 1 eyes 1 Eyes 02008-03-13 22:14:02

The team-based fitness challenge system and method of the presentinvention allows students to participate in an entertaining and engagingactivity that also encourages physical activity. Students are likely toenjoy the challenge because it uses computer technology with which theyare familiar. Students can customize a screen character and monitortheir own progress as well as their team's progress. The interface iseasy and fun to use so students are likely to want to monitor theirprogress. In an example embodiment, the physical activity is one inwhich most children can engage—walking. Although the program may besponsored by the school, the activity can be performed any time of day,in or out of school and alone or with others, including friends andfamily. As a result, students are more likely to perform the activity.The challenge also includes an educational component and allows childrento learn about places around the world.

While certain embodiments of the present invention are described indetail above, the scope of the invention is not to be considered limitedby such disclosure, and modifications are possible without departingfrom the spirit of the invention as evidenced by the claims. Forexample, other physical activities and related devices for measuringactivity may be used and fall within the scope of the claimed invention.In addition, a variety of user and team screen characters may be usedand fall within the scope of the claimed invention. One skilled in theart would recognize that such modifications are possible withoutdeparting from the scope of the claimed invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A fitness challenge system comprising: a remoteaccess point for receiving from a plurality of activity measurementdevices activity level data recorded when an individual using a deviceperforms an activity; a server for receiving activity level data fromsaid remote access point; a database at said server for storing: (a) anaccount for each individual comprising (1) identifying data for saidindividual; (2) a team identifier for said individual; (3) deviceidentifying data for an activity measurement device used by saidindividual; (4) activity level data recorded by said activitymeasurement device; and (b) a plurality of checkpoints, each checkpointassociated with an activity level; a software application at said serverfor: (a) determining for each of a plurality of teams a total activitylevel based on activity level data for each individual associated withsaid team; (b) associating a graphical object with each of saidplurality of teams; (c) selecting for each of said plurality of teams alocation based on said total activity level; and (d) creating a computerdisplay screen with at least one graphical object for one of saidplurality of teams wherein said object is shown at said locationselected according to said total activity level for said team.
 2. Thesystem of claim 1 wherein said remote access point is located at aschool.
 3. The system of claim 2 wherein each individual using saidactivity measurement device is a student at said school.
 4. The systemof claim 1 wherein said activity measurement devices are pedometers. 5.The system of claim 1 wherein said graphical object associated with eachof said plurality of teams is a school bus.
 6. The system of claim 1wherein said location is a location with a famous landmark.
 7. Thesystem of claim 1 wherein said location is a location selected from thegroup consisting of: a location within a city, a location within astate, a location within a country, a location in the world, a locationwithin a geographical region, and a location in space.
 8. A computerizedmethod for encouraging physical activity comprising: (a) providing anactivity measurement device to each of a plurality of individualswherein said device automatically records activity level data for saidindividuals and transfers said activity level data to a remote accesspoint; (b) establishing at a server an account for each individualwherein said account holds identifying data for said activitymeasurement device assigned to said individual and activity level datafor said activity measurement device; (c) storing in a database at saidserver for each of a plurality of locations an associated activitylevel; (d) receiving from at least one remote access point activitylevel data for each of a plurality of individuals using said activitymeasurement devices; (e) storing at said server in said account for eachindividual activity level data from said activity measurement device;(f) determining a total activity level based on activity level data foreach of said plurality of individuals; (g) selecting from said databasea location based on said total activity level; and (h) providing acomputer display screen comprising: (1) a graphical object representingsaid plurality of individuals; and (2) a location selected from saiddatabase according to said total activity level.
 9. The method of claim8 wherein said at least one remote access point is located at a school.10. The method of claim 9 wherein each individual using said activitymeasurement device is a student at said school.
 11. The method of claim8 wherein said activity measurement devices are pedometers.
 12. Themethod of claim 8 wherein said location is a location with a famouslandmark.
 13. The method of claim 8 wherein said location is a locationselected from the group consisting of: a location within a city, alocation within a state, a location within a country, a location in theworld, a location within a geographical region, and a location in space.14. A fitness challenge method comprising: (a) receiving at a serveractivity level data from a remote access point that receives saidactivity level data from activity measurement devices, each of which isassigned to one of a plurality of individuals; (b) storing at saidserver in an account for each individual activity level data from saidindividual's activity measurement device; (c) storing at said server aplurality of associations between an activity level and a checkpoint tobe represented on a computer screen display; (d) assigning eachindividual to one of a plurality of teams; (e) determining for each ofsaid plurality of teams a total activity level based on activity leveldata for each individual assigned to each of said plurality of teams;(g) associating a graphical object with each of said plurality of teams;and (h) generating a computer display screen with at least one graphicalobject for one of said plurality of teams wherein said object is shownin a checkpoint determined according to said total activity level forsaid team.
 15. The method of claim 14 wherein said remote access pointis located at a school.
 16. The method of claim 15 wherein eachindividual using said activity measurement device is a student at saidschool.
 17. The method of claim 14 wherein said graphical objectassociated with each of said plurality of teams is a school bus.
 18. Themethod of claim 14 wherein said activity measurement devices arepedometers.
 19. The method of claim 14 wherein said checkpoint relatesto a famous landmark.
 20. The method of claim 14 wherein said checkpointrelates to a location selected from the group consisting of: a locationwithin a city, a location within a state, a location within a country, alocation in the world, a location within a geographical region, and alocation in space.